Okowa's re-election in 2019 cannot be truncated - Michael Diden

Okowa

A member of the Delta State House of Assembly and State Coordinator of Delta Political Vanguard (DPV), Hon Michael Diden aka Ejele has again posited that the noise by opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to take over Delta State Government House in 2019 remains a tall dream and a mere wish.

He told a mammoth crowd at Oghara, the political capital of Delta State on Saturday 8th September 2018 that the power sharing agreement which produced the past governors from Delta Central and Delta South in which they served two tenure of eight years each, must of a necessity be honoured in 2019.

Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communications, Dr Fred Oghenesivbe quoted Diden as saying that Delta North cannot be short-changed in power rotation because Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan from Central and South senatorial districts governed the state based on the power rotation arrangement, adding that it will amount to crude injustice if Delta North is denied their eight years in that order. 

"Those calling for Urhobo Governor in 2019, are well known serial failures in gubernatorial electioneering contest from 2003 till date and urged the good people of Delta State to ignore the noise about 2019 Urhobo governor because Gov Okowa has since assured Delta Central people that he will surely handover power to a democratically elected Urhobo governor come 2023."

In the light of the above, he appealed to Deltans to re-elect the incumbent Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa in 2019, so as to consolidate on the numerous achievements of Okowa administration which he enumerated to include; massive road construction and rehabilitation across the three senatorial districts, youth and women empowerment programmes via Youth Agriculture and Skill Training Entrepreneurship Programmes (YAGEP and STEP),  for which over 5,000 youth and women have benefited within a short time of three years in office as governor. 

Diden who addressed a mammoth crowd and members of Delta Political Vanguard at Oghara in Ethiope West also scored the Okowa administration high in the area of quality health care delivery, sports development, agriculture, education especially the huge investment by this administration to bring back the six technical colleges, the waterstorm drainage projects in Asaba and other parts of the state and the reconstruction of Stephen Keshi International Stadium, upgrade reconstruction of Asaba International Airport as well as the successful  hosting of the CAA African 21st Senior Athletics Championship.

"Oghara is the political headquarters and our national leader and Delta patron of PDP,  His Excellency Chief James Ibori is with us body, soul and spirit. The Okowa 2019 project is on course and come 2019, those making noise about taking over Delta State Government House shall hide in shame.  

"Urhobo Nation is united for Okowa and don't allow any political contractor to deceive you because it is a done deal signed by the smart governor to handover power to a democratically elected Urhobo Governor in 2023," Diden assured.

Speaking to newsmen at the rally, Managing Director of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Olorogun Williams Makinde who is also the convener of Williams Makinde Group For Okowa, said the good people of Delta Central has since endorsed Gov Okowa for second tenure through their national leader, His Excellency the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and at different political events.

Makinde noted that Urhobo people are not greedy folks which is why Delta Central PDP and by extension, PDP in Delta State resolved to have one gubernational aspirant and candidate in the person of Gov Okowa, pointing out that those clamouring for 2019 Urhobo governor do so for selfish political interest, not in favour of the larger Urhobo ethnic nationality. 

"We are committed to the Okowa 2019 project so as to re-assure our brothers and sisters in Delta North that we all have equal stake in the Delta project. I urge  us to work very hard to ensure the landslide victory of Gov Okowa in 2019," Makinde added. 

Deputy Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ossai Osenabi, Senator Ighoyota Amori, Director-General of Delta Political Vanguard, Hon Ifeanyi Eboigbe, Barrister George Orogun, Hon Lovett Idisi, Hon Efe Ofobruku, Chief Askia Ogie, Hon Maria Evwaraye, were among the dignitaries present at the rally.